Tuesday, November 8, 2011

How Flash Cards Aid Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy

ABA, or Applied Behavior Analysis, is the most commonly recommended treatment for children with autism spectrum disorders. Scientifically proven to greatly improve a childís ability to function in a classroom or other social environment as well as improving communication and learning ability, ABA helps children to live up to their maximum potential, offering many children a chance at recovery and functioning similarly to their traditional peers. ABA is not a cure, but it is a highly effective treatment and one of the biggest parts of an effective ABA therapy regimen is flash cards or picture cards. Here we will take a look at these cards and what makes them so successful within ABA therapy.

Picture cards or flash cards are effective tools for fostering the mastery of new words and concepts. While many people think of flash cards as a great way to learn new words, such as stove or refrigerator, many people do not think of flash cards as a means of conveying emotions or concepts such as happy or sunny. In reality, picture cards are used for all of these purposes and more. Many parents and therapists even use flash cards as a means of sparking conversation as part of a standard intensive ABA therapy.

Many teachers choose to use multiple picture cards to convey the same idea. This helps to teach a child the concept of the object or idea, giving them multiple views of the same thing and helping them to associate the concept with the word. In addition to providing examples of concepts and words, picture cards can involve a puzzle of sorts, requiring a child to figure out what is wrong with the picture, such as a door with no knob or a fish in a tree. This helps to develop reasoning and critical thinking skills.

In short, much can be learned through the use of picture and flash cards throughout the entire ABA therapy process. From teaching basic words to complex concepts and even helping to promote critical reasoning skills, picture cards are a highly functional group of tools for parents who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder. Intensive ABA therapy is designed to help your child reach his or her maximum learning and functioning potential. Picture cards are an integral part of this process and can be crucial in helping your child learn to understand and communicate both simple and complex thoughts and ideas.

Garrett Butch is the father of a 6 year old with autism and the founder of Maximum Potential Group.

Maximum Potential has developed courses that train parents and school systems how to work with children with autism.